No Need For A New Direction?
by Ghostface211
Summary: Ryouga gets lost one times to many and unleashes something that will change his life forever.


**_Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi and distributed by  
Shounen Sunday Comics, Shogakukan, Kitty Animation, & Viz  
Media LLC. _**

**_Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Oh-Ki!! was created by Masaki Kajishima, certain  
characters were created by Naoko Hasegawa & Hitoshi Okuda, and  
distributed by AIC, Pioneer/Geneon, VAP, FUNimation, & Viz  
Media LLC._**

No permission has been obtained from any of the copyright  
holders for the use of the characters and situations from  
this series. This work of fiction is not for profit and not  
intended to infringe on copyrighted intellectual property  
in any significant or harmful way.

Should they, or any of their affiliates, request it, this  
not-for-profit story will be taken off line as quickly as possible.

Any original characters, however, are owned by me. If you steal them,  
I shall hunt you down and skewer your nuts.

Feedback is encouraged. That's why I write. Also for the cookies.  
And The Root Beer... the sweet nectar-of-the-gods root beer.

Flames are pointless, as the author is a flaming retard.

...hold up, that's not what I meant. Uh, let's just start the story.

* * *

[_??????_]

In the endless depths of space amongst the countless  
galaxies, planets, and stars stand a place that should  
not exist. A place that defies all forms of logic and  
reasoning be they scientific, religious, or even  
random madness. And inside this place that should not  
exist a tale begins. A tale so extravagant, grand  
and impossible that it makes it's beginning rather  
hard to swallow considering its origins.

"This has grown tedious for me."

The person who said that, by all means known to  
man simply should not exist. Her strikingly long  
red hair a deeper shade than any fire that could burn  
in the skies. She turned to look at the other  
two women gathered before her, and found the looks  
on their faces to be about what she expected.

"So you believe this has no meaning as well sister?"  
The woman nodded to her younger sister. Her red  
eyes analyzing her elder sister coolly before she closed  
them to gathering her thoughts.

"How could you sister," asked the third person. Her  
violet eyes looking at her elder sister in confusion.  
"Is this not the only course of action we can take?  
To answer the question that has no answer?"

"Perhaps it is, and perhaps it is not," the eldest  
sister stated. "But we must try and find out if this  
is the case. Less we exhaust our options, there  
cannot be a satisfactory answer to out predicament."

The middle sister nodded, opening her eyes as she reached  
a decision. She turned to her elder sister, "You are correct.  
We must exhaust all options to solve this riddle."

The youngest sister sighed, "So, neither of you shall be  
swayed. May I ask what you are planning to do?"

The red haired woman put her hand before them revealing  
three small stones. Despite the darkness of the area, they  
shined brightly, "I shall store my power in these gems, and  
rebuild my knowledge as a human. And from there I shall  
see where that path leads me."

The middle sister nodded, "An interesting path. I shall take a  
different approach. This planet shall serve as my nexus," she  
said, gesturing to one of them.

"But you will have to limit yourself in order to do that."

"Yes, but not as much as you sister. And there is no choice if  
our goals are ever to be achieved."

The youngest sister nodded, "Then I shall stay the course. And  
we shall see how our plans develop."

The two elder sisters nodded and then vanished. The  
youngest sister sighed, "Until we meet again, my sisters."

"My Lady?" asked a figure which had just materialized by  
her side.

"Continue on with the experiment," she told him, though her eyes never  
left the space her sisters had disappeared from.

"Yes, My Lady Tokimi," D3 responded.

'I will show you my sisters, that there was only one true path to  
the answer."

* * *

It was another beautiful day on the planet Earth. The sky was a  
pristine blue, the sun was shining, nary a dark cloud to be seen  
overhead. Yes, it was another day to be grateful to be alive.

"I'VE DONE IT!!!"

Or plot your revenge. Take your pick.

Ryouga grinned darkly as a sickly green glow was surrounding his body,  
although it was quickly fading. He clenched his fist excitedly as the  
surge of emotion and power began to subside.

"I've got it down! And when we next meet Ranma, I'll finally be able  
to free Akane-san from your womanizer ways!"

Just the thought of Akane put the lost boy's mind at ease, and his  
heart aflutter, "Akane-san.... wait for me. I promise your days of  
terror are almost over. With this Shishi Hokodan at my disposal..."

He laughed darkly, a soft laugh that build into a crescendo of bawling  
laughter at the thought of the aqua transsexual martial artist finally  
defeated at his hands. His laughter died off, a determined look coming  
upon his features, "Now all I have to do is get there...," he smirked.  
"And with all this luck on my side, even I can make it back to the dojo  
in no time flat!"

Ryouga's laugh of absolute confidence could be heard for miles as he  
walked in the Tendou Dojo's opposite direction.

==============  
[_One Week Later..._]

"Now all I have to do is get there...," he sighed. And therein lied his  
problem, even with this technique at his disposal, he still couldn't find  
his way to the Tendou dojo to save his life.

He sighed again, falling back into the grass as his eyes trailed upward  
to the sky, "All the moves in the world still can't help me make it from  
point A to point B..."

"And yet they still manage to lead you here time to time", a voice said  
above him.

Ryouga blinked, "I know that voice..."

"Well...," the voice continued, filling with amusement, "I would hope  
you recognized me, Ryouga."

Ryouga turned and looked to the side as saw an old man sitting  
nearby on a stone, his bokken settled by his feet with his arms in his  
lap. He wore the robes of a Shinto priest, and had a warm glow in his eyes  
as he regarded the boy in front of him, "G....grandpa?" he whispered.

His grandfather smiled warmly, "It's been a long time, Ryouga."

Ryouga's grin split ear to ear, "Grandpa!" he cried as he ran towards the  
elder man.

He blinked as he felt something hook unto the back of his shirt. His  
grandfather sighed softly, "Still getting lost I see."

Ryouga laughed sheepishly, "Heh... yeah...otherwise I'd stop by more often  
grandpa."

His grandfather chuckled, "Well at any rate, it does my heart good to see  
you again Ryouga. Now come, "He stood up and grasped his grandson's hand,  
"We have a lot of catching up to do."

Ryouga smiled brightly as he nodded, "You got that right grandpa."

"Especially about this Akane-san of yours."

Ryouga's face turned a bright red as he blushed. His grandfather missed this as  
he continued to lead him to his home.

"Well, Ryouga," his grandfather continued, "Have you been able to make it to school since  
I last saw you?"

"A few times," Ryouga nodded, "Although I haven't been able to get back there for a  
year. But I have been studying from what books I've been able to come across or pick  
up."

His grandfather nodded, "Well, so long as you're trying I can't complain too much. And  
your sword training? Are you keeping up with that as well?"

Ryouga scratched his head, "Ah, well, not so much recently", he admitted.

His grandfather raised an eyebrow at this, "And why is this?"

"Ahhehe...well a lot of things have come up, grandpa."

"Like this Akane-san?"

Ryouga blushed at the mention of Akane's name, "Some... something like that I guess..."

His grandfather grinned, "Is she your girlfriend?"

Ryouga's blush developed into a head-to-toe kind after that, "N-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-no way  
grandpa!"

"Oh? How disappointing," His grandfather sighed, "Here I thought that you had entered  
the spring of your youth. At least it would explain the lack of training somewhat."

"G-g-g-g-g-grandpa!!"

"Still... your lack of commitment to your art is quite disappointing to learn, my boy."

Ryouga sighed, "It's not my fault."

"And how do you figure that?"

He turned away, grumbling slightly, "It's.... its complicated grandpa."

"She's already got a boyfriend, huh?"

Ryouga grumbled a bit at the remark, "He doesn't deserve her."

"Really, now", Katsuhiko replied.

"He's an honor-less jerk," he continued, "A womanizer, and a coward who ran away  
from a duel we had! And what makes it worse is that he calls her every mean name  
he can think of!"

Katsuhiko continued to walk forward, arms clasped behind him. "And have you spoken  
to Akane-san about this?"

"Well... she kind of calls him names back...." he admitted

"....and," his grandfather prodded.

".... and she hits him when it's bad enough," he mumbled.

"But..."?

"But he shouldn't be doing that in the first place!" Ryouga cried out.

"You still have not talked to her about it though. Have you told her what you think?"

"I've tried grandpa, but I... I just.... I just get so... so nervous around her!"

Ryouga sighed, "I just don't know what to do about it."

Katsuhiko sighed, however he was slowly moving away from his grandson as he did so,  
turning toward his home. "Ryouga, you know that the best way forward is too actually  
talk to her regarding this if you feel that strongly about it".

"You're right grandpa... but I... how can I get it out there? And what about her...  
boyfriend?" he spat the lat bit out with some disgust.

"That, Ryouga, is something that you will need to do yourself, as it is only you that  
are holding yourself back".

Ryouga blinked, "Holding myself back? What do you mean grandpa?" Ryouga turned blinking  
slightly as the elder man was nowhere to be seen, "Grandpa?" He groaned as no answer came  
to him, "Dangit, not again," he grumbled.

=================  
Ryouga trudged along, frustrated and more a little depressed. He had finally managed  
to run into his grandfather for the first time in a long while, but within a half hour  
managed to get lost again. He sighed and continued to walk forward, his hands next to  
his chest holding the straps of his backpack.

He sighed. Just another thing to put on his long list of thoughts to use to power the  
Shishi Hokodan when he met Ranma. Now if he could only.... -CLANG-...."Hum", he muttered,  
wondering what that sound was.

Blinking, he noticed how dark things had gotten and turned around. "When did I get  
into a cave," he asked himself. Looking down he saw the remains of what looked to  
be a rusted gate laid askew on the ground, bent from where he impacted it. 'I didn't  
even notice it', he thought.

'Should I wait here for grandpa?' he thought to himself. His brow furled in thought,  
'I don't know when I'll see him again... and he might be able to help me get to  
Nerima...'

"In any case I should probably fix this gate before he gets here..." he mumbled.  
He blinked as he looked down at the mangled gate, "Then again... I'm not sure that  
possible. Wait, since when do caves have gates?"

A faint memory tickled at the back of his head, and his eyes widened slightly, "No  
way... is this that cave?"

=============  
[_Ten Years Ago...._]

"MOMMA!"

There was no denying it, the boy was lost. Lost in a dark, cold, and damp cave.  
He had no idea how he had gotten separated from his mom, nor did he care at the  
moment. All he wanted was to get outta this cave and ask his momma to forgive him  
for running off.

"MOMMA! DAD! WHERE ARE YOU?!?"

He was crying, panic beginning to overtake his young mind. What if he never got out  
of this cave? What if there was a monster in this cave that ate bad little boys who  
ran off from their mothers?

"MOMMA! DAD! GRANDPA!"

Was he going to get gobbled up by that monster? Was this the end of him?

"Someone... anyone," he sobbed, "I wanna go home..."

"How in the world did you get in here, Ryouga?"

Ryouga blinked, fiercely wiping away his tears at the familiar voice, "GRANDPA!!"

The young boy ran into his grandfather's open arms, "Thank you for finding me  
grandpa!"

"I'm just glad you're all right Ryouga... but how in the world did you get in  
here?"

"'Dunno... Ryouga sniffled out, "One sec I was walkin' with momma and then I

was here..."

His grandfather sighed, "And what a place for you to get lost in..."

"What do you mean, grandpa?"

"I'll tell you why.... an oni sleeps here."

Ryouga gasped and looked at his grandfather timidly, "O-o-o-oni?"

"Indeed," He began as he led Ryouga out of the cave. "Now listen, Ryouga.  
For what I'm about to tell you is a story that is true."

Ryouga nodded, listening intently.

"Many years ago, before even I was born.... an evil oni  
came here from the sky. In one step it could leap three mountains.  
Its power was unfathomable. A terrible power that had never been  
seen before or since. And our people suffered greatly because  
of its evil powers."

Ryouga gulped as his grandfather continued with his tale" S-so  
what happened to the oni? How was it defeated?"

His grandfather smiled, "One day, a ship appeared from the skies  
like a heavenly messenger. And on its back rode a mighty samurai.  
He proceed to do battle with that terrible monster, with his sword  
that was blessed with heavenly powers. And after many days and nights  
filled with battle, he defeated and sealed that oni in this cave."

He looked down at his grandson, "His name was Yosho, and he was your  
ancestor Ryouga."

Ryouga looked up at his grandfather in awe, "Wow...."

He smiled, "So remember this tale Ryouga, and remember to grow  
up into a fine young man who can help this old man protect this  
shrine and keep that oni from awakening."

"You bet, grandpa!"

==============  
[_Today...._]

"So I'm in Ryoko's cave?" Ryouga asked himself.

That had the first time in his life that he had gotten lost, and  
after that there would be times where he would try to get back into  
the cave, wanting to see the oni yet always ending up getting lost.  
Eventually, he would dismiss it as an old tale of the shrine or his  
grandfather trying to make him a stronger boy.

But now... with all he had seen since he had been trying to fight  
Ranma...

He shook his head clear of those thoughts, "Ah, what am I thinking?  
I need to find grandpa and get to Nerima. I can finally beat Ranma!  
I don't have time to go down memory lane!"

Still....

After all this time, he was back in this cave.

And who knew when, if ever, he'd be back here?

"Well... I guess it couldn't hurt to see if that story's true..."

That said he began walking further into Ryoko's prison.

=============  
"So This is where the oni sleeps, huh?"

Ryouga frowned as he looked around, seeing a huge  
stone held up by roots and ofuda, as well as a small  
shrine with the kanji for heaven engraved on it. He  
walked up to the shrine and opened it, finding a wooden  
sword hilt inside. His eyebrow rose as he gazed upon  
the intrily designed hilt. Noting the three jewels embedded  
inside it.

"This is Yosho's sword?" he asked himself as he grabbed  
the blade's hilt.

Ryouga shrugged as the blade disintegrated after being pulled out of  
its sheath, "Even heaven can't beat time, huh?" He blinked as the stone  
in front of him dropped, the roots releasing their hold upon it. "Huh?  
What's- A loud dragging sound came from behind him, and he turned to find  
a new opening in one of the walls.

"Oooookay," he drawled out. Pocking the hilt of the blade, he entered  
the new opening. Stepping through, his foot landed in cold water.

"Gah!!" he cried out, fearing the upcoming change. But there was none to  
be had, as it was not enough to trigger his transformation into a piglet.  
He panicked slightly, however, and in his slight panic he missed one fact.

The fact that the floor was steeply sloped.

And that combination of water and a sloped floor with that said bit of panic  
was enough to cause even a martial artist of Ryouga's caliber to slip upon the

flooring.

"Wha- WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

His hands dug deeply into the walls beside him, and he let out a sigh of relief  
at the missed guaranteed change. "Way, way, waaaaaay to close," he muttered.

Regaining his footing, he continued onward. "Getting brighter, he murmured to  
himself. As he neared the end of the passageway, his eyes widened slightly as he  
entered a strange chamber with a glow coming from the pool in the center.

"The heck is all this?" he asked as he continued towards the center of the  
chamber. Missing the gems in the pommel of the sword hilt starting to glow.  
As he made it to the center of the chamber, he gulped slightly and backed  
away cautiously as he eyed the figure in the pool.

It was a body that was heavily mummified, with a tengu mask over its face  
and spiky blue hair wrapping around the head like a crown.

"Is that... Ryoko, Ryouga asked. A clanked interrupted his thoughts.  
He turned his head to find the sword's hilt had landed on the floor, sliding  
out of his grasp while he was eying the mummified oni. The hilt continued  
to slide forward, testifying the unevenness of the portion he was in. In  
finally came to a rest near the mummified remains, just at the edge. He sighed  
slightly, frowning down at the sword hilt. "This place is getting to me..."

Sighing to himself, he reached down to pick up the sword hilt. Just as he was  
about to take hand of the ancient weapon something suddenly latched onto his  
wrist. The feel of something cold, wet and slimy suddenly touching him sent  
an immediate shiver up Ryouga's spine.

"GAH! he reacted, immediately snapping his arm back and stood up, looking at his  
wrist.

**SMASH!**

Ryouga immediately inspected his wrist, looking at the dripping remains of what  
was there and began to clean it up with a queasy look on his face. Turning to  
see what had grabbed him he saw that the hilt was still on the floor next to the  
edge of the water line and....and...

"What happened to the mummy," he wondered as he finally picked up the hilt.

Behind him, the mummy was face first smashed into the wall in a far more undignified  
pose it had been in not a few seconds prior. Arms and legs were outstretched as the  
wall showcased spider web-like cracks encircling the impact point. Slowly, gravity  
took hold as the remains slid down a few meters quickly before stopping for a second,  
then once more slid to the ground.

**THUD!**

Ryouga twitched slightly hearing that sound, turning around to see what caused  
that noise and paused.

The mummified remains moaned as it painfully and slowly tried to right its self.  
Turning to him the tengu mask stopped as it caught sight of him. Ryouga felt  
his blood run cold once more as from the eye sockets of the mask two glowing  
orbs appeared.

The oni moaned again and reached out to Ryouga, causing the lost boy to gulp  
and tighten his grip on the sword hilt.

"NotquitethefreakieststuffI'veseenbutprobablybettertogonowbye!!" said Ryouga  
as he ran off and up the shaft.

As he entered the cave's chamber, he dug his hand into the passageway's opening.  
Grunting he willed all his strength and slowly closed off the chamber, letting  
out a sigh of relief as he flopped down on the ground. "Curiosity killed the  
cat... good thing I'm not Shampoo..." he muttered to himself. Looking down at  
the sword hilt, he sighed as he pocketed it into his pack, "Man... what a mess..."

"I figured I'd find you here."

"GAH!" Ryouga cried as his grandfather entered his sight of vision, "Don't  
scare me like that grandpa!"

"Now now, His grandfather began, putting is hands up in a warding motion,  
"No need for that, my boy. I'm glad I finally found you. Now I can start  
dinner."

Ryouga sighed and smiled at his grandfather, "Ah, that'll be nice grandpa."

"Indeed," The elderly man blinked as he spotted Ryouga's finger marks in the  
cave wall, "How did that get there?"

"Ahahahahaha..." Ryouga laughed nervously, "Is not that important is it  
grandpa? C'mon, I'm starvin'!"

"I suppose...," His grandfather trailed off as he took his grandson's hand,  
leading him out of the cave.

Ryouga sighed again at that dodged bullet, 'And now to forget that ever  
happened...' he thought.

He really should've known better.

=================  
During the night, as Ryouga slept in a bed he had not slept in for  
many a year, an odd phenomenon was occurring.

A nearby sacred tree stood in a pond when one of its leafs twinkled with  
light. It was the start of a small chain reaction that spread from leaf  
to leaf, culminating with the entire tree lit ablaze with light. The light  
then condensed into a beam, reflecting upwards into the sky, where they  
converge. As if to send a signal into space.

Before a single soul could note this odd occurrence, the light beams die out,  
leaving the night as peaceful as before.

=================  
[_Three Weeks Later..._]

It was nearly sundown when Ryouga stirred. The sun beat down overhead, and  
only a cool breeze stirred the grass in the open field where Ryouga laid.  
The rare tranquil scene that graced his vision however, was not on his mind  
at the moment. He was still stinging from his latest defeat at Ranma's hands.  
However his usual angry look at the mere mention of his rival's name, even in  
his thoughts, was replaced with a sullen look.

'I can't believe I fell for it, he thought. 'I can't believe he actually beat  
me with my own move.'

He sighed dejectedly and palmed his face, "And what's worse....  
Akane-san saw it all," he whispered. It was almost enough to  
trigger another Shi Shi Houkodan out of him. He laughed bitterly,  
"At least it can't get much worse than this."

He grunted slightly as he rose up from the crater his Perfect Shi  
Shi Hokoudan had created, stretching slightly as he checked to see if  
there was any lasting damage from the fight. Satisfied that it seemed  
like nothing was terribly damaged, he got on his feet and picked up his  
pack. "Guess its back to the drawing board for me," he sighed dejectedly.  
Slinging the pack over his shoulder, he blinked as a strange sound reached  
his ears.

He blinked, then shrugged it off, "Guess I'm hearing things." Shrugging  
once more, he began climbing out of the hole he was in. Once he was out, he  
heard that sound once more.

"Are those.... bells?" he asked himself. After a few moments they chimed  
once more and this time he recognized how eerily hollow it sounded, like it  
was not really there. Come to think of it, he couldn't seem to pinpoint it.

-meow-

"Hm?" Ryouga turned around and saw a cat sitting. It meowed once more  
and began to move. 'It wasn't there a moment ago', he thought. As he was  
about to turn the cat disappeared before him. 'The heck? What's goin' on  
here?'

The bell chimed once more and Ryouga turned in the direction the sound  
came from this time. He was totally unprepared for the sight that  
greeted his vision. Ryouga was breathless as his eyes locked on with  
the girl that stood before him. Her spiky blue hair that reached her  
waist. Her golden eyes that locked onto his. He was stunned by the girl  
that stood before him.

He blinked slightly as a set of bells appeared before him before floating  
towards the girl, who cradled them softly to her face and pocketed them.

"Ryoko..." the girl said.

Ryouga blinked, "Hmm?"

She grinned, "That's my name, she said as her golden eyes glowed.

As her eyes glowed, a switch in Ryouga's head clicked almost simultaneously.

"I... I know those eyes... he whispered, backing away from Ryoko slightly.  
"You're that mummy," he growled. His eyes narrowed as the girl's eyes closed,  
"That oni from grandpas cave!"

"It was so cold in there Ryouga. So cold and dark I thought that it would  
never end, She began as she hugged herself, "Do you have any idea how long  
I suffered in that cave?"

"Seven hundred years," Ryouga answered, remembering the old legend. "So what?  
What's that got to do with me?"

"What that has to do with you, Ryouga? Everything, she answered.  
Ryouga blinked and took up a stance as globes of amber energy  
swirled out into a holding pattern around them. Ryoko chucked, "I  
want revenge and you're going to give it to me."

"Why me? Why not Yosho," he asked. He cracked his knuckles as he sensed the  
rising tension, "He's the one who locked you up, remember?"

"That's true," Ryoko agreed. She extended a hand and the light that  
surrounded them condensed into her hand, forming an energy sword, "But  
he's not here, and you are. And seeing as how you're probably his  
descendant..." She grinned darkly as Ryouga barred his fangs, "You're  
just going to have to collect on his debts."

"Interesting technique", Ryouga said warily eying her sword, readying  
himself.

"Nice of you to notice, She reared her sword hand back as she leaped at  
the lost boy, "Hope you don't mind me venting for a bit!"

Ryouga's eyes never left the oni as she swung at him in a low art, slow  
enough for him to dodge. 'Huh, let's see how the oni likes this,' he  
thought.

His face took a neutral look as he caught her wrist in his hand. Ryoko  
blinked in surprise in the act, "Oh? You're fast."

"Not like you weren't telegraphing that, he said. He glared slightly at  
the oni, "I don't know why you look like that, and I don't care. I'm  
takin' you back to that cave."

Ryoko smirked, "Thinks so, huh?"

"I know so". Ryouga said. He then grinned, "It's funny..."

Ryoko blinked. "What?"

"What you said earlier, about venting".

"Yeah?"

"I need to vent a bit too, and now I think I know how", Ryouga smirked.

She chucked, "Y'kno... that was cute Ryouga. What'cha just did. But don't  
you go underestimating me," she growled as she tugged back slightly on her  
wrist.

He didn't budge.

"Underestimating you?" He almost laughed in her face, "Don't you go  
underestimating me, oni."

"My, you're stronger that you look," she acknowledged. "But let's see how long  
you can hold out!"

That said, she began tugging harder and harder, adding more and more power to  
each tug. But the more she tugged, the more Ryouga refused to let go. She  
glared at him, "Let... Me... GO!"

"Not... happening," Ryouga grunted. Sweat began to drip from his brow as it  
began to get harder and harder for him to hold onto her, 'Damn.... she's  
stronger than she looks," he thought. Neither noticed the deepening crater  
beneath Ryouga's feet as he planted his feet in his attempts to hold the oni  
in his grasp. 'At this rate... she's gonna break free!' he thought.

"What's wrong, Ryouga," Ryoko asked. "Am I too much woman for you?"

"No..." Ryouga growled, "Can't be... too much woman... for me... when you're  
an.... oni!"

"Heh, her eyes glistened as she gave one final tug. Ryouga fell forward as  
she finally freed her wrist and flew away from the Lost Boy, and she rubbed  
her free wrist. She glared down at Ryouga, 'Where the hell did he get that  
kind of strength from anyway?!'

Ryouga regained his balance and look towards the sky, his eyes narrowing at  
Ryoko's hovering form. "Well that's great," he muttered, "She can fly.  
Now what?"

A few moments passed. "Well", Ryouga shouted. "You gonna wait all day?"

"He has spirit, at least", Ryoko grinned. She then dove for him.

Quickly Ryouga took a stance and reached for his headband.

Ryoko's sword vanished, condensing into a ball. "Hah!"

Ryouga leaped back, dodging the ball as it collided with the earth. The  
small explosion of grass and dirt did little to distract him as he  
launched a volley of headbands at the oni.

"What?" Ryoko got out as she was pelted with the sharp fabrics. She put  
her arms up, blocking the attack. With each pass her attire was accumulating  
more and more small rips.

"Bakusai Tenketsu!"

Ryoko was taken by surprise once more as Ryouga jabbed a finger into the  
ground, spraying dirt and gravel everywhere underneath the oni.

"Damn it! Where is he?" Ryoko growled as she coughed up dirt.

"Behind you."

Ryoko gasped in surprise as Ryouga leaped up and locked his hand around her  
wrist. She was surprised even more as the Lost Boy proceeded to  
unceremoniously throw her back to the ground.

**HARD.**

The ground beneath her cratered as she was driven deep within the earth.  
She grunted, completely caught off guard by his surprising strength.

"You give up now, Ryoko?" Ryouga asked as he landed on the ground.  
"Or can I vent some more on ya, oni?"

The ground below Ryoko exploded, and Ryouga tensed as the amber orbs  
surrounded him once more.

"I don't... believe this..." Ryoko hissed.

"Oh great.... now what?" Ryouga growled.

Ryoko floated up and began to form another energy sword in her fist, "Why  
are you god damned strong?"

"Hard training," Ryouga answered. "Just give up, there's no way you can  
beat me!"

She just grinned darkly in response, "We'll see about that." Ryoko charged  
forward, her energy sword blazing in her hand.

Ryouga dodged her first swipe, his eyes narrowing as a large vertical line  
appeared in his shirt. '_Dang... she's getting faster as well. This isn't  
gonna be easy._' His words were soon proven to be prolific as each swing of  
her sword grew faster and faster, taxing the lost boy's stamina and speed at  
every dodge. He paled slightly as her golden eyes glistened with growing  
delight, '_She's... she's playing with me!_'

Ryoko kept coming, her swings still picking up speed. For a moment Ryouga  
was reminded of Ranma. His eyes twitched at the sudden reminder of his defeat.  
In one swift motion, he stopped dodging and stepped forward into Ryoko's charge.

"Huh?" Ryoko said, surprised at this change.

In less than a second Ryouga's fist snapped upwards before he brought it down  
with full force on Ryoko's head mid charge, creating a small crater around the  
area once more.

At the center of the large crater was Ryoko, her head buried deep into the ground  
while her legs and waist were visible, making the oni appear more like an ostrich  
hiding its head than a legendary creature of mass destruction. Rocks and minor  
debris were still falling from the sudden but thunderous impact.

A moment passed.

After nothing happened Ryouga smirked. "Well, that wasn't so bad." He stepped forward to  
grab the defeated oni by the feet and pull her out to drag her back to her cave  
when the earth around him began to shake, "Wha-what the?"

Sparks and light began emanating from the crater as with a crash dirt and rock flew  
everywhere as Ryoko lifted herself out of the crater. As she swung herself back she  
stumbled a couple steps backward, almost losing her balance before catching herself  
at the last second. Snapping back into place she glared at Ryouga, sporting a large  
knot at the top of her head.

"That...

...*realllly*...

...huurrrttt", she growled.

"Oh... crud, Ryouga muttered.

"And now....it's your turn!"

At that Ryouga felt a chill up his spine and leaned to his left. He gasped slightly  
at the explosion behind him. "I.... I didn't even see that!" he whispered. He blinked  
as he felt something moist dripping down his cheek. Feeling his face, he found a small  
wound under his eye that was leaking blood rather fast. '_I'm in trouble,_' he thought  
worriedly.

"Are you beginning to understand...." Ryoko whispered. She walked toward him and began to  
form another energy sword in her fist, "How out of your league you are, Ryouga?"

He was.

Despite all the tricks he had thrown at her, despite his fantastic strength, all it did  
was piss her off. '_I... I'm out of my league here._' he thought.

And that thought alone was enough.

"Is... is this how it ends," he asked himself. A wave of depression washing over him.  
'_Unable to beat Ranma more than once.... unable to free Akane-san from his vile clutches....  
ended by my own mess?_'

Ryoko blinked at the heavy air that surrounded Ryouga, "Oy..."

"I'm... so depressed..." Ryouga muttered dejectedly.

Ryoko willed her blade out of existence, "Hey... Ryouga..."

"To bad for you."

She blinked, "Huh?"

Ryouga cupped his hands, "**SHISHI HOKODAN!!!**"

Ryoko watched, agape as she was struck dead center by the ki blast and was flung through  
the air, her clothes smoking and leaving trails. Ryouga blinked, "Did I get her?"

His depression grew as the smoke cleared to find Ryoko only singed and her clothing  
slightly more tattered, but otherwise unharmed. "Dang it..."

"What the bloody hell was that?!?" Ryoko cried out.

"Even that wasn't enough to put that monster down?"

A pause.

Ryokos eye twitched, "What... what did you just call me?"

Ryouga glared up at Ryoko, "I called you a monster, monster!"

"Monster?!? How dare you! Why would you call me a monster?!?" Ryoko shouted back  
thumping her chest.

"You're stronger than me! You took my best attack like it was nothing! You can make  
ki-swords! Hell, you can even fly!!!" Ryouga yelled back.

"Very good reasons but not good enough!" Ryoko charged forward, her energy sword  
blazing in her hand. Then as she was about to close in, a flash of light erupted  
from Ryouga's pack.

"What the- Ryouga got out as the hilt of the sword he had taken from the cave  
hovered in front of him.

"The master key? But why?" Ryoko asked herself.

Ryouga's eyes narrowed as he grabbed the hilt of the blade. Its light shined  
even brighter, and when the light cleared Ryouga stood there with his own blade  
of blue energy. "What the... Huh?" Ryouga had little time to ponder the blade  
as Ryoko was barreling toward him once again. He reacted automatically blocking  
the strike.

Ryoko grinned at him as they struggled for superiority, Don't be scared Ryouga.  
I won't hurt you. Much."

Ryouga filled with a renewed confidence barked out a laugh. "I'm ready for you now!  
Come get some!"

And the fight, as they say, was on.

The fighting began to pick up in unbridled passion and intensity. Ryoko's own  
wild animalistic fighting style versus Ryouga's family style which, he would admit,  
was extremely rusty at best. But he was a martial artist through and through, and  
he would not go quietly into defeat again.

Ryoko shifted back after a close strike from Ryouga. "I'm impressed Ryouga. I never  
would've thought you'd put up this good of a fight. But you're still not going to beat  
me."

'_Dangit...she's got me dead to rights,_ Ryouga was surprised as felt that rare  
feeling of exhaustion creeping over him. '_I can't keep this up forever, and she  
still doesn't look tired. How am I supposed to beat this thing?_' A flash caught  
Ryouga's eye and he looked at Ryoko's wrist to find a red jewel embedded in it.  
Suddenly, the lost boy had a flash of inspiration.

'_Wait a minute.... those jewels on her wrist! That's the source of her power,  
right? The legend even says so! Three gems for power, and without her power,  
that oni is powerless,_' He turned a hard gaze towards the gem on Ryoko's wrist,  
'_But the question now is how am I gonna get past her defense?_'

"Think fast!"

Ryouga was shaken out of his thoughts as Ryoko formed another energy blade,  
forcing him to leap away. Ryoko smirked as she quickly turned the second  
sword into a ball, throwing it behind the Lost Boy.

"Dangit, Ryouga cried out as the speed of the attack caught him off guard.

Ryoko's smirk turned into a grin as she sensed victory, "Gotcha!" she cried  
as she swung.

"Dangit!" Ryouga cried out again.

Suddenly, he felt the tug of the sword in his hand. Whether it was some unseen  
force guiding him or just plain dumb luck, he would never know. All he knew was  
that at that moment, he managed to make a beautiful clean cut that managed to  
take off Ryoko's hand. Ryoko fell back in surprise, clutching at her stump. Her  
hand now on the ground and burned away at her feet. The jewel that was on her  
wrist exploding behind her.

The two stared at each other for several moments until Ryoko sighed and smiled  
sadly, "Oh well another battle lost. My lot in life, I guess."

Ryouga blinked, "Huh?" He looked down at his weapon, seeing the light was  
dispersing, and feeling that tension that was in the air vanishing at Ryoko's  
words. 'Did I... did I just win,' he asked himself. He looked up and saw the  
stump where Ryoko's hand used to be and felt an odd surge of guilt wash over him,  
"I'm sorry."

Ryoko blinked, "Hmmm? What for?"

"I didn't mean to cut off your hand. I just.... I just..."

Ryoko laughed seeing his distress.

Ryouga blinked, "What so funny?"

"It's just...:: snicker:: It's weird for the winner to feel that way!"

Ryouga shrugged, looking down at his hands dejectedly, "Guess I'm weird then."

He was surprised when he felt Ryoko cup his chin and tilt his head upwards. She  
smiled softly at him, "Would you like to see a magic trick?"

Ryouga blinked, "Huh?"

She stepped away from him slightly, Holding up her stump. Taking her remaining  
hand she covered her stump with it and slowly pulled it back. When she was  
through, a new hand was there. "Ta-da!"

Ryouga's eyes widened, "H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-how?!?"

Ryoko smiled at him and bowed. "Magic", she purred.

It was then that another piece of evidence of the blade Ryouga used made itself known.  
A thin line made its way across Ryoko's top, starting from her left mid waist and  
traveled to her upper right shoulder. A tiny sound of fabric tearing could be heard.  
And at that point the fabric gave leaving Ryoko bare from the waist up, somehow leaving  
her shoulders still covered and fully revealing her breasts and stomach. Blinking and  
looking down Ryoko remarked, "Well, wouldja look at that".

Ryouga did.

And then promptly fainted, nose gushing out blood like a fountain.

Ryoko blinked as Ryouga took his trip into unconsciousness, raising an eyebrow, "Oh I  
see, She smirked, "We're going to have to fix that little problem of yours, Ryouga."  
That said, she hefted Ryouga over her shoulder rather effortlessly and flew off into  
the sky.

==================  
[_On the ground..._]

"I must say I'm impressed, usually happens to me", a voice remarked.

"Ranma, aren't you worried?"

"Nah, if it's anything like me, she'll probably won't want to kill him".

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, it- oh..."

Instead of what he was expecting, the girl just sighed.

"Well, uh", in an attempt to change subjects, "It looks like we won't have  
to worry about school tomorrow, won't we?"

Shortly after that statement, Furinkan let of one large explosion.

"Guess not, his companion remarked.

"Time to leave?" he asked his companion.

"What do you think, idiot?" the girl sighed as she turned and walked out of  
the schoolyard. "We gotta call the fire department, don't we?"

Ranma shrugged, "Guess so, tomboy."

Akane sighed as they left the area, "I hope Ryouga-kun will be all right."

"I hope Principal Kuno don't try to blame this crap on me, Ranma muttered.

And with that, the pair disappeared into the night.

=================  
End ch. 1

Author's notes

Question:

Why Ryouga?

Answer:

Because it's a challenge.

A long time ago, I stumbled onto 2 Ranma/Tenchi Muyo crossovers that  
featured Ryouga taking Tenchi's place.

The first one just came off hastily contrived and was going downhill fast.  
Guess the author thought so as well since it ended after 2 chapters.

The other one was just as hastily done. And also was apparently plagiarized,  
thus sending the author into obscurity.

This idea however, is intriguing to me and I feel it deserves better. It really  
is an interesting idea since Ryouga and Tenchi are polar opposites of each other.

Tenchi is even tempered most of the time, very forgiving, and a generally nice and  
responsible guy.

Ryouga is the definition of a short fuse, not forgiving, and is rather irresponsible.  
And is one of the closest in the Ranma series that can be seen as a villain in the beginning.  
But the catch is that he seems to change into a better person as time passed and even  
became somewhat noble once Takahashi gave him Akari. It made me wonder why he  
is the way he was. What happened to his parents? And how come the love of a pig-crazy  
girl could completely change him?

Well, a few of those can be answered easily, but how could it be done in such a story?

These thoughts have been circling in my head for five years. That's what I'm hoping to  
answer here.

Yea, I have no life. Let's get over that.

I'm also aiming to go a bit more in-depth than usual with a Tenchi x-over and bring in some  
of the knowledge I've gained about the Tenchi-verse. This, I hope, will be a bit different from  
the norm Tenchi-Ranma x-over.

Let's be clear about this one more time. Ryouga is NOT Tenchi, and I'll do my best to make that  
constant. What I hope to do, however, is to make Ryouga evolve into a person that while different  
from cannon, is still essentially the same.

I'll also add some Tenchi stuff here as to avoid the "You're wrong, blah, blah, blah" comments.  
I've researched enough about this show to know what I'm talking about.

Not sure how much of the Ranma-cast I'll involve in this story. Ranma and Akane are locks however.  
I'll let my muse guide me I guess.

Oh, and the Ranma time line would be after Ryouga is defeated by Ranma in the Shishi Hokodan arc.

And thanks again to Wheeljack for all his help.

'Till next time....


End file.
